Hired Gun
by Pokeluv101
Summary: The only reason Ruby returned to the west was to save his father. He thought that he only needed to pay the bandits and be on his way but the Wild West didn't seem to want him to leave as blue eyes held him captured. Sapphire was flabbergasted when a easterner hired her to help him. But there was something about Ruby that drew her in. {Franticshipping /AU set in the West}


**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon or any of the characters**

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><p>Ruby was a city man, there was no arguing against that. Though he was raised on a ranch, he had left that life long ago to make his own life in the city. He had never returned, never so much as looked back. Never, until today.<p>

Ruby sighed to himself as he maneuver his horse through the rocky terrain of the west the best as he could without getting any unnecessary dirt on himself. If anyone told him that he would return to the west a week ago, he would've laughed at them but here he was. Even more unfathomable, what brought him back was the reason he left: his father.

Ruby had received a ransom note a week ago. It stated that the sheriff, his father, had been captured and would only be returned if Ruby delivered twenty thousand dollars to the location listed below. Ruby didn't even know why he was trying to save his old man. His father had never accepted him and he had long ago gave up in that prospect. To say his relationship with his father was unstable would be an overstatement. So why had he travel to the far west to save him?

He knew that he wouldn't be able to reach the location before nightfall so changed his destination to town to find a boarding house. He had brought more than enough money to house himself. He wondered if the town had changed since he had left or if anyone would even remember him. Then again, he doubted the small town would he much different.

Once he entered town, people turned to stare at him, most likely confused about about the familiar stranger that entered. Ruby ignored them though, continuing through the town. He headed straight to the hotel that, as he predicted, hadn't changed. The sign was still warn and the only difference was the noise. Never before had he heard such shouts coming from the hotel and he rushed inside to inquire the cause.

The moment Ruby enter, he found the barrel of a gun pointed at him. Just his luck to walk into a robbery. Knowing the procedure, he lifted his hand in quiet surrender and the three robbers whispered among themselves. He forged boredom as he studied them and a buried part of him laughed at how they didn't take his gun from him. They were teenagers and were obviously ill prepared for this robbery.

"Get over there with the rest of 'em!" One of the teenagers pointed to the crowd and Ruby made sure that his movement were slow when he followed their order. The crowd stared in wonder at him and he wondered how many of them actually recognized him. He swore under his breath when an elderly man grabbed his arm and screamed.

"You're Norman's boy, ain't ya? You need to save us!" The teenagers head came up at the sheriff's name and Ruby drew his gun before they could but didn't shot. He might have the fastest draw in the west but he was the slowest to shot. He could see that they were scared and that could either lead to their surrender or a shot out. For the lives of those behind him, he hoped they had the good sense to drop their weapons.

He didn't wince at the shot that rang out. Neither were first to shot though and Ruby turned his weapon in the shooter's direction. A boy, mostly hidden by his poncho and large hat, stood at the door and shot at the floor to gain their attention. He didn't recognize the boy and hoped he wouldn't face three men on his own.

The boy tilted his head slightly towards the robber and he could see his fanged grin. He was confident despite how he was outnumber and younger than the group. The robbers must've realized this too for they turned their attention on him and shot.

Ruby watched in awe as he drew a second gun and dodged the bullets as if they were standing still. If the boy aimed to kill him he missed. If he wished to disarm them, he had a better aim than most men Ruby knew. He shot their guns and their shock made the robbers drop their weapons. The people around them cheered but he didn't take his eyes off them as he ordered them to kick their weapons to him.

Ruby had to admit the boy was better than most experienced men and stared in awe.

"I thought ya be more trouble with the bounty on ya head," the boy sighed as he kicked the gun to Ruby, not giving him a passing glance as he tied their hands to each others'. Ruby watched him take out the wanted sign, hold it next to their faces and realized the boy was a bounty hunter. He must've been the youngest one he met but Ruby knew strength when he saw it. Maybe the boy could help him find his father.

"Wait kid," Ruby grabbed his arm the not flinched much too violently for his liking. Ruby took his hand away and saw that it was stained with blood. The boy but his lip and held in any further sign of weakness as he wrapped his bandanna around the wound. He continued to pull the robbers along like cattle. "Wait, you're hurt. You need to treat your arm!"

"I need'a get 'em to the sherif for the reward." The boy's voice was much lower now and Ruby didn't know why the kid was being so stubborn. He was losing blood as well but the boy made no move to seek further treatment. The boy had saved him and he needed to repay that.

"Stop being such a kid and let me help! Your blood is on my hand and I'm not going to wipe it on my clothes. Let's find a place to clean it off." He insisted, taking his shoulder gently this time. The boy stopped across from an alley and pointed to it. His comment was must've struck a nerve with him.

"Wash yer hands there prissy man," The boy turned this nose at Ruby and he gawked at the reply. How and why Ruby offended him was a mystery to him but it was obvious the boy wasn't going to listen to reason. "If ya wanna help, show me where the sheriff's office is."

"The sherif isn't here," Ruby's words caught his attention and he finally looked back at him. It was something he didn't want to hear but he needed his help. "The sherif was captured by bandits earlier this week. He's being held for ransoms at the moment, that's why there is so much crime now. I want you to find him and I need your help. I'll pay you a thousand dollars if you do!"

The money stopped the boy, like Ruby thought it would. His words were slow when he asked, "people die all the time here in the west. Why would an easterner like ya care 'bout us?"

"Because he's my father," Ruby shouted as if to convince himself of the reason. He didn't know why he was wasting his time with a father that never supported him yet he still answered the ransoms note. "Help me save my father and I'll give you ten thousand dollars. I don't care how much money it takes, I'll save my old man!"

"Eight hundred and sixty dollars," the boy amended, shocking Ruby. Why would the boy ask for less money than he offered? Thinking it better than to ask, Ruby nodded. In reply, the boy pointed to an inn. "I'm stayin' there. After I get these guys to the jail, I'll meet you there-"

The boy's hold on the rope became lax and he pitched forward slightly. Swearing, Ruby caught her. The blood loss must've finally over taken him and Ruby sighed when the teenagers tried to run. Ruby drew his gun and muttered to himself, "Why did I come back to this hellhole again?"

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><p>"This place hasn't changed a bit," Ruby sighed to himself as he pulled a blanket over the boy. The landlady didn't bat an eye at Ruby entering with an unconscious boy over his shoulder and the ruthlessness of the west still turned his stomach. He had tended to the boy and placed him in the bed but there was something strange about him.<p>

The boy was obviously younger than he first thought by his petit and slender body. He could very well pass for a girl. Beneath the dirt, his skin looked as soft as one. Ruby took a wet cloth and rubbed it against the boy's cheek, only intending to wash his face. The dirt would distract him on their journey and he found himself thinking of the soft skin beneath.

"The hell?" Ruby pulled his hand away and swore to himself. The boy may look like a girl but he couldn't believe where his thoughts led. He always had an appreciation for beauty but he never found himself attracted to a boy before. His mind screamed that he wasn't attracted to him!

"My arm hurts," then boy muttered, his voice hazy from his tiredness. Ruby held out a glass to him and he took it with a small thank you but something made the boy stop. Ruby quickly ducked under his fist when they boy suddenly lashed out and he tried to place as much distance between them. He held up his hands in an attempt to calm him.

"Wha'cha do to me?" The boy demanded and Ruby couldn't understand why he was so offended that he had treated her wound. "Where's my poncho?"

"Over there," he pointed to where he left it hanging over a chair and he rushed to it. After running his hand over it, he nodded and wore it. "I don't know why you insist on wearing such an old ugly thing. And you don't need to worry about your wound. It was low enough on your arm that I only need to roll up your sleeve to treat it. Though that dirty shirt of yours is ruined now."

"Of course an easterner like ya would worry 'bout that." Sapphire muttered beneath her breath and tilted a glare at him. It was obvious he didn't belong in the west from his suit and he wore a strange hat that was pulled lower than others would. "So ya the son of a sheriff? Ya don't look like it."

"He says the same thing," Ruby waved the issue away. "I would rather not look like a heathen. I know the life of a cowboy looks fun but it's not my cup of tea. A boy like you should get out after you help me."

Of course he thought that she was a boy. Her small frame and nonexistent curves made many mistake her for the wrong gender. It didn't help that she hide her already short hair under a wide brim hat. It wasn't something she corrected others though since it was much safer for her if others thought she was a boy.

"You're a pretty good shot for a kid," Ruby took some money from his pocket and handed it to Sapphire. "I locked the robbers in a cell and the ledger said that their bounty was three hundred. Now you have all the time in the world to help me with my problem. Once that wound closes, we should hit the trail since the ransom note told me to arrive be the end of the month."

"And who made ya the boss?" Sapphire shot back as she discreetly placed the reward in her poncho. It brought her closer to home that she a her to return to. But she made a promise to herself and she wouldn't return until she meet her goal.

"I'm paying you ten hundred and covering all the other expenses as well. I would like to have some control over this adventure as I dump thousands to save a father that never loved me."

"Eight hundred and sixty," she corrected. The easterner had a worst memory than most she knew or it could be that he didn't see westerners as anyone of importance. The way he spoke sounded bitter and she didn't know how anyone could feel that way against their father. She was close to hers and held family in high regards.

"I'll pay whatever amount it takes to save my father." Ruby threw up his hands. Why was the boy shorting back at him? They only traded a few conversations but sparks few between them. He rubbed his temple and sighed, thinking of the journey to come.

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><p><strong>And this adds to the lost of fanfics that I will most likely not finish XD just a story concept that I like too much to just put it as one of my "forgotten fanfics" collection on Tumblr. Really I love franticshipping but I can't seem to write it T^T I don't know why western and Franticshipping were just screaming at me for the previous month. So I gave in to plot bunnies and write this. <strong>


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